TRI-CITIES — Respect for elders is not passé in the
unlimited-hydroplane family.

Bill Muncey, the George Blanda of boat racing, was commanding a
great deal of respect around, the Columbia Park pit area today as the holder of
a new national qualifying record.

The 20-year veteran, who at age 47 is more than twice as old as
the youngest driver here for the Columbia Cup race, whipped around the choppy
Columbia River course at 126.582 miles an hour yesterday to top first-day
qualifiers for Sunday’s regatta.

"Older folks do some things better," Muncey said with a smile
after his last-minute record run some-what tarnished an exceptional day of time
trials by the rebuilt Miss Budweiser.

Only a few minutes remained for boats to attempt qualifying runs
when Muncey hopped into the Atlas cockpit and went out after the record.

"The boat was really running good the first time out; that’s why
we decided to get right back out and go for it," he said.

By the time he had the record tucked away, the clock had run out
on Billy Schumacher. Schumacher was sitting in his boat at dockside, ready to
take to the course, when regatta officials notified the Olympia Beer
driver the day’s testing was over.

"One-twenty-six doesn’t surprise me," Schumacher said after
hearing about Muncey’s feat. "I wouldn’t be surprised if somebody got that up
between 127 and 130 before the week is out."

Does that mean Schumacher will shoot for the record?

"I don’t know if Jerry will let me," the Seattle driver said,
motioning toward Jerry Zuvich, co-owner and crew chief. "We’ve got three
different propellers to try, some adjusting to do on the carburetor . . . Two
engines are race-ready. I just don’t know if we’ll have time for me to use
another engine to try for the record.

"To tell you the truth, I was very surprised at our own speed,"
added Schumacher.

The Oly averaged 122.951 m.p.h. in its best lap around
the wide-turned course. "The fastest I did was 155 on the straightaways, and I
know the boat will do 170," said Schumacher.

"He might be able to do 130 here," said Muncey. "I’d really be
impressed to see him do it. I hope he does."

The only other qualifier yesterday was Miss Budweiser, at
125.000 m.p.h.

Promoters have been attempting to cook up a Muncey-Schumacher
rivalry here, getting a spark from Schumacher’s comments to a luncheon gathering
earlier in the week.

"Muncey gave me a good water bath at Dayton, and I believe in
repaying those debts," Billy was quoted as saying.

When Atlas left the Olympia in its wake at the
Dayton, Ohio, regatta, Muncey was en route to win No. 37 of an illustrious
career that appears nowhere near reaching its end.

Yesterday’s record-breaking run was just one of many for the
former Seattleite who now lives in La Mesa, Calif.

The previous Tri-Cities and national record for a 2½-mile
qualifying lap, set here in 1973 by Mickey Remund in the Pay ‘n Pak, was
124.654 m.p.h.

Ironically, Muncey’s marks were in the same boat — he purchased
the Pak from David Heerensperger last winter and changed the name.

Remund, now driving the Miss Budweiser, had several laps
over 120 m.p.h. yesterday, including the top one at 125.

Those times were exceptionally quick, considering Remund and the
Bud both were getting "baptismal" trips.

The Bud has been out of the water, undergoing repairs,
since it crashed and sank in the Detroit Gold Cup regatta. Remund is replacing
Howie Benns, who was injured in that accident. Mickey has not driven in a race
this season.

"I spent the past four months telling myself I was not missing
this, but I guess I really was," Remund said, stroking his newly bearded chin.

"Sometimes things out there scare me, but what’s fear and what’s
a thrill go hand in hand. Sometimes I’ll hit a bump and go flying and hold my
breath; but an instant later I’ll think, ‘Hey, that was really neat’."